ALCANTARA GARDENS

Situated in Alcântara, at the southwestern edge of Lisbon’s historic and commercial center, the site for this project is near waterfront developments in an industrial setting and also faces a residential neighborhood. The port area consists of warehouses and industrial buildings that have been converted into restaurants and night spots. The architects interpreted neighboring architectural styles in a modern way, reflecting the fragmentation of the eighteenth-century Pombaline-style housing on one side and the modernity of the emerging shoreline district on the other. The 22,666-square-meter (243,975-square-foot) complex includes a total of 93 residential and office units. A rooftop terrace provides a private pool and spa for residents and their guests. A street level opening leads to a public courtyard where restaurants and shops ensure a vibrant atmosphere. On the lower levels there are recreational facilities, as well as the parking and service areas. The architects state, “As a means to reflect the contextual plurality, facade articulation and materials are varied from stucco walls with smaller openings and interior balconies to floor-to-ceiling glazed facades with generous terraces encouraging the use of exterior spaces.”

*by Philip Jodidio, Global and Local / New Projects / EAA-Emre Arolat Architecture, Rizzoli Electa, 2020.